Mechanism for and method of feeding yarn in a tufting machine



June 11, 1968 K. McCUTCHEN 3,387,578

MECHANISM FOR AND METHOD OF FEEDING YARN IN A 'IUFTING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FROM ,QREEL 2. 35 36 n H n L 32 20 ,m 2s I a h 23 iv 1 n I- I8 I911 38 Hm T0 Tamas 2 31 3 IHHH-H'Q )36 3 FIGS INVENTOR J. K. McCUTCHEN Maw;

ATTORNEY June 11, 1968 J. K. MCCUTCHEN 3,387,578

MECHANISM FOR AND METHOD OF FEEDING YARN IN A TUFTING MACHINE Filed March a, 1966 2 Sheeis-Sneet z IN VENT OR J. K. M CUTCHEN H69 ATTORNEY United States Patent 9 3,387,573 IVIEQHANISM FOR AND METHGD OF FEEDING YARN IN A TUFTING MACHINE Joseph K. McCutchen, Ellijay, Ga. 3%549 Filed him. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 532,805 Claims. (Cl. 112-79) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE A method of and apparatus for feeding yarn to the needles of a multiple needle tufting machine of the type which produces both cut and uncut pile in a fabric base. The invention takes advantage of the inherent demand characteristics of the machine in that the yarn ends which are to make cut piie are under much more tension due to looper action than are the yarn ends which produce uncut or loop pile. By regulating the degree of frictional contact between the uncut pile yarn ends and the constant speed friction drive means, the feeding of these yarn ends may be varied with a corresponding variation in uncut pile height in a desired pattern, while the cut pile yarn ends continue to be fed in a constant manner to produce an even cut pile. The cut pile height may be varied by changing the speed of the yarn feeding means.

This invention relates to a feed mechanism for yarn or the like and more particularly to a mechanism for and method of feeding yarn to a multiple needle tufting machine of the type which may produce both cut and uncut pile upon a fabric base.

Tufting machines of the above-mentioned type are examplified by United States Patents 2,879,728 and 2,879,- 729 to J. K. McCutchen.

When a tufting machine of this type is producing uncut or loop pile, the machine looper-s have released the yarn below the fabric base and there is no severing of yarn loops upon the loopers and the action of the needles is to place the uncut pile loops at a desired height in the fabric base. Under these conditions in the machine, the pile loops are sensitive to the slightest variation in tension on the yarn and will be pulled out of the fabric base if the drag from the yarn supply is greater than the force required to pull the yarn through the usual yarn guides, the needle eyes, from the loopers and from the fabric base. Such a condition could occur on a tufting machine while producing uncut pile without any provision for positive yarn feed.

In contrast to this, when the machine is producing cut pile on the fabric base, each looper is holding from two to five uncut loops at all times, causing two of the main friction factors, the looper friction and the friction of the yarn in the fabric, to be from two to five times greater than is the case when the machine is making uncut pile.

The present invention was devised for use upon the above class of tufting machine capable of producing both cut and uncut pile. However, the yarn feed mechanism could be employed, if desired, on other types of machines, such as those machines which are limited to the making of cut pile or uncut pile. According to the invention, an adjustable three roll yarn feed mechanism is provided upon the cut and uncut pile tufting machines so that the height of the uncut pile may be varied at will by simple adjustment, and still sufficient yarn will be fed to allow the formation of cut pile, which demands the feeding of more yarn. The height of the cut pile can also be changed at any time desired. Up to the present time in the art, a separate yarn feed control for each single yarn end or two ends was the only way that the uncut pile could be maintained at a lower pile height than the height of the cut pile.

ice

With the present invention mechanism, a readily adjustable center roll in a three roll feed enables the tufting machine itself to regulate the pile height in accordance with the demand of the machine for yarn to be fed and thereby in accordance with increased or decreased effective friction between the yarn ends and the three feed rolls for a given setting of the center feed roll. The adjustable feed roll mechanism coacts with the yarn being fed and feeds more or less yarn to the needles for a given setting of the feed mechanism, depending upon the amount of tension on the yarn ends at any time due to the demands of the needles. When the needle is forming uncut pile, the yarn is slack for approximately sixty percent of the machine cycle, whereas when the cut pile is being produced, the yarn is slack for only about thirty percent of the cycle. The unique feed mechanism of the invention takes advantage of these peculiar characteristics of the cut and uncut pile tufting machine to allow the desired variations in uncut pile height while still feeding suflici-ent yarn to allow the making of cut pile, as stated.

As will be seen, the middle roll of the feed mechanism is shiftable to vary the extent of wrap of the yarn therearound, thereby increasing or decreasing the driving friction of the mechanism in accordance with the degree of tension on the yarn. When it is desired that the height of the loop pile be as great as the height of the cut pile, for example, the middle feed roll is offset from the other two rolls a maximum amount. This will feed yarn at all times during the tufting cycle and the speed of the three rolls may be set so as to maintain the yarn feed at the correct speed for the cut pile and the loop pile will then also receive the same rate of yarn delivery. If lower loop pile is desired, the middle roll is shifted toward the other two rolls causing a lesser extent of wrap of the yarn on the middle roll and on all of the rolls and thereby allowing more yarn slippage to the feed mechanism and consequently less feeding of yarn to the loop pile, making shorter height loops. The cut pile height may be changed at wiEl by changing the speed of rotation of the feed rolls.

The above features and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a yarn feed mechanism for tufting machines according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged end elevational view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a similar View taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View taken n line 44 of FIGURE 3 showing one adjusting means for the middle feed roll;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view taken on line 5-5 of FIG- URE 3 showing another adjusting means for the middle feed roll;

FIGURES 6a and 6b are enlarged transverse vertical sections both taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 1 and showing the cXtremes of adjustment of the middle fe'ed roll;

IGURE 7 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG- URE 6b showing a modification of the yarn feed mechanism employing two feed rolls only and adjustable thread guides;

FIGURE 8 is a similar view showing a modified type of thread guide and also showing the thread guides adjusted relative to the rolls for a lesser degree of yarn wrap on the rolls wrap on the rolls than in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an end elevational view similar to FIG- 3 URE 2 for the two roll mechanism of FIGURES 7 and 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a vertical cross sectional view through the mechanism showing means for shifting and positioning the movable thread guides relative to the two feed rolls.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a portion of the frame of a multiple needle tufting machine of the class which may produce both out and uncut pile on a fabric base. A machine of this class is exemplified by Patent 2,879,728, as stated.

As indicated in FIGURES 1-3, the invention yarn feeding mechanism is bodily mounted upon the machine frame 10 and includes upright rectangular end frames 11 and 12, the lower ends of which are suitably rigidly secured to the machine frame 10. Between their tops and bottoms, the supporting end frames 11 and 12 include horizontal cross plates or members 13 having upright end extensions 14 receiving bolts 15 therethrough, said bolts alsol engaging through vertically elongated slots 16 in the vertical sides of the end frames 11 and 12, FIGURE 5. By virtue of this arrangement, the members 13 may be raised and lowered upon the end frames 11 and 12 and securely locked at the desired elevation.

The feed mechanism further comprises upper, intermediate and lower feed rolls 17, 18 and 19 arranged in spaced relation and extending substantially between the end frames 11 and 12 and being parallel and horizontal, as shown. The upper feed roll 17 has integral shaft ends 20 which are journaled in fixed upper bearings 21, suitably rigidly secured to the tops of end frames 11 and 12. In like manner, the lower feed roll 1% has shaft ends 22 and 23 which are journaled in lower bearings 24, said bearings being rigidly mounted upon the bottoms of end frames 11 and 12.

The intermediate feed roll 18 has shaft ends 25 and 26 which are journaled in bearings 27, mounted adjustably on the vertically shiftable support members 13. As shown in FIGURE 4, the bases of the bearings 27 receive bolts 28 therethrough and these bolts extend through horizontally elongated slots 29 in the members 13, thus allowing the intermediate roll 18 to be bodily shifted laterally with respect to the upper and lower feed rolls 17 and 19 as depicted in FIGURES 6a and 6b. In fact, the intermediate roll 18 is bodily adjustable or shiftable in two directions, horizontally and vetrically, relative to the rolls 17 and 19 by virtue of the adjustment slots shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The significance of these two adjustments will be more fully understood as the description proceeds.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, the three yarn feed rolls are positively driven in the following manner. A pulley 30 is suitably powered from the tufting machine or from an outside source of power and, through a suitable conventional speed reducer 31, the shaft end 22 of lower roll 19 is positively driven. The remote shaft end 23 of the lower roll 19 is drivingly connected to the upper roll 17 by the chain and sprocket gearing 32 shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. This causes the upper and lower rolls 17 and 19 to be positively driven in the same direction in unison. The remote end of the upper roll 17 is drivingly connected with the intermediate feed roll 18 through a pair of gears 33 and 34, so that the intermediate roll is positively driven in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the upper and lower rolls. The speed of rotation of the system may be varied in any conventional manner, when required. The surfaces of the three feed rolls may be covered with any desired friction material or they may be smooth surfaced as found desirable for various applications. The system would have utility in some instances if the intermediate roll was unpowered and free-turning, although it is preferred that the three rolls be powered. If the intermediate 4 roll is unpowered, then its surface should be a sand surface or some like friction surface. The three rolls are of like diameter in the embodiment shown.

The yarn from a creel, not shown, is fed to the mechanism through a series of guide tubes 35 and from these guide tubes, the yarn ends may be spread proprely by a comb-type guide 36. Beyond this guide, the yarn ends are directed reversely around another guide rod 37 and then downwardly into engagement with the upper feed roll 17, FIGURES 6a and 6b. From the roll 17, yarn ends 38 pass around the opposite side of intermediate roll 18 and then around the opposite side of lower roll 19 which cor-responds to the side of roll 17 engaged by the yarn.

The operation of the feeding mechanism is as follows:

The three rolls 17, 13 and 19 are positively powered when the tufting machine is in operation and they turn at a predetermined speed, which speed can be changed when required. The upper and lower rolls 17 and 19 turn in the same direction While the intermediate roll 18 simultaneously turns in the opposite direction, because of the gearing arrangement, to feed the yarn to the tufting needles and loopers, not shown.

The ability of the three rolls to feed the yarn ends in general always depends on two factors, namely, the degree of tension in the yarn ends 38 as produced by the demand of the tufting machine, and secondly the extent or degree of warp of the yarn ends about the three rolls. FIGURE 6a shows the intermediate roll 18 adjusted for minimum wrap of the yarn about the three rolls while FIGURE 6b shows the opposite extreme of adjustment of the roll 18 causing maximum wrap of the yarn about the three rollers, therefore producing maximum frictional feeding for a given yarn tension. Of course, in any case, there can be some slippage of the yarn ends relative to the feed rolls when the yarn is slack.

The main problem in the particular type of tufting machine which can produce both uncut and cut pile in the fabric base is to provide sufficient positive feed of the yarn to satisfy the machine demand for making out pile while simultaneously allowing the height of loop or uncut pile to be varied in accordance with different design patterns. As explained previously, the needles which make the cut pile produce from two to five times as much tension in the yarn ends 38 as do the needles which produce the uncut pile, because in the former case, several loops of yarn are kept on the loopers and this holds the yarn ends under heavy tension. Consequently, for any given setting or adjustment of the feed rolls, the yarn ends are held in tight frictional engagement with the driving surfaces of the rolls and are fed in a constant manner and positively to produce the cut pile.

In contrast to this, the yarn ends which lead to the uncut pile producing needles are under very light tension because loops are not allowed to accumulate on the loopers for cutting and this source of tension is absent. Accordingly, for a given adjustment or setting of the intermediate roll 18, there will be much less frictional feeding of the yarn ends which form the uncut or loop pile. Therefore, to adjust or regulate the height of the loop pile without interfering with the supply of yarn to the cut pile forming needles, the intermediate roll 18 is adjusted be tween the extremes shown in FIGURES 6a and 6b, by utilizing the adjusting means indicated in FIGURES 4 and 5. That is to say, when greater loop pile height is desired and more yarn to these needles is required with relatively low yarn tension, the roll 18 is adjusted toward the position of FIGURE 6b and locked in the selected position and because of the increased extent of wrap of the yarn ends around the three rolls, there will be an increased frictional feeding of the yarn to the uncut pile needles. On the other hand, when lower uncut pile height is desired, the intermediate roll 18 is adjusted toward the position of FIGURE 6a and this will decrease the amount of wrap or frictional engagement of the yarn ends with the three feed rolls, resulting in a lesser degree of feeding to the tufting machine needles. Between the extremes of adjustment which regulate the height of uncut pile on the carpet, the other yarn ends which supply the cut pile needles are always fed sufficiently by the system to satisfy the demand of the machine for making cut pile because of the relatively great tension in the yarn ends due to the action of the loopers, etc. This greater tension causes these particular yarn ends to always hear more heavily on the surfaces of the free feed rolls so that in all cases of adjustment of the mechanism, suflicient yarn to make cut pile will be fed.

It will be noted that the provision of the horizontal and vertical adjustments shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 for the intermediate roll 18 enables the two gears 33 and 34 to remain in mesh in all positions of the intermediate roll. This could not be accomplished with only the one adjustment shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURES 7 to show a modified yarn feed mechanism for tufting machines according to the invention employing a pair only of fixed axis rotary feed rolls 39 and 40 which are positively driven in the direction of the arrows by the gears 41 and 42 shown at one end of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 9. The rolls 39 and 4t} and the roll shaft ends 43 are supported by end frames 44 substantially in the same manner depicted in FIGURES 2 and 3 for the prior embodiment of the invention, and the details of construction need not be repeated herein.

In FIGURE 7, the yarn ends 45 upon leaving the guide tubes and comb-type guide 36 engagean upper movable yarn guide 46 which may have individual guiding eyes for the separate yarn ends or, if preferred, may be a smooth guide bar 46, as indicated in FIGURE 8. In either event, yarn ends are then reversely directed from the movable guide around one side of the upper roll 39 and then around the opposite side of the lower roll 49 and from this lower roll to a lower movable yarn guide 47 or 47'. From the lower yarn guide, the yarn ends are directed to the needles 48 of the tufting machine which are shown diagrammatically in FIGURES 7 and 8. The tufting needles coact with loopers and cutters, not shown, to produce either cut or uncut pile on the fabric base 49, and this known mode of operation is described in the aforementioned United States patents to McCutchen.

FIGURE 10 shows one form of mechanism for shifting the upper and lower guides 46-46 and 47-4-7 relative to the fixed axis of the feed rolls. As shown in FIGURE 10, the upper and lower shiftable guide bars 46' and 47 are carried by the upper and lower arm extensions of a generally Z-shaped carrier or lever 50 whose mid-portion has an operating extension 51 rigidly secured thereto. The mid-portion of the lever 59 is also pivoted at 52 to the end frame 44. The operating extension 51 carries a clamp bolt 53 which is movable in an arcuate slot 54 on an extension 55 of frame 44. The bolt 53 may be locked or released at any point in the guide slot 54 so that the operating extension 51 and the crank 50 may in turn be positioned at any desired point around the axis of the pivot 52. Consequently, the upper and lower yarn guides 46' and 47' are bodily shiftable laterally relative to the pair of guide rolls by the turning movement of the lever 50 and extension 51. Other types of mechanisms may be employed to support and shift the upper and lower yarn guides. In all cases, however, the upper and lower yarn guides are shiftable relative to the feed rolls 39 and so as to cause a variable degree of wrap of the yarn ends on the two rolls between wide limits of minimum contact or wrap and much greater contact or wrap. FIGURES 7 and 8 similarly to FIGURES 6a and 6b show a pair of possible conditions for the yarn upon the rolls in this connection.

The general mode of operation of the two roll mechanism having the shiftable yarn guides is the same as described in the prior embodiment of the invention. The

feeding of the yarn ends is a function of the tension thereon produced by the needles and looper mechanism, together with the degree of frictional engagement with the positively driven pair of feed rolls. For a given yarn tension or demand at the needles, more or less yarn will be fed by the rolls 39 and 40 in accordance with the degree of frictional contact or the degree of wrap of the yarn on the rolls. This in turn is determined by the positioning of the upper and lower yarn guides 46-46 and 4-7-47, as explained in connection with FIGURE 10. The same advantages concerning the formation of cut and uncut pile in the same tufting machine according to pattern are present with the mechanism in FIGURES 7 through 10 as were present for the prior embodiment of the invention. That is to say, by the shifting of the upper and lower yarn guides relative to the two feed rolls, variations in uncut pile height and therefore various patterns may be achieved in rugs and the like, while at the same time allowing sufiicient yarn to be fed to the needles which are producing cut pile. As explained, the cut pile yarn ends are under much heavier tension than the yarn ends which go into the making of uncut pile or loops. For this reason, varying the extent of wrap or frictional engagement of the yarn ends with the feed rolls by shifting the guides will cause the feeding of more or less yarn to make uncut pile while substantially a constant feeding of yarn ends to make cut pile will be obtained throughout a wide range of relative positions of the guides 46, etc. and feed rolls.

The net result of the invention in either embodiment thereof is to utilize the tension in the yarn ends caused by the demand of the tufting machine to control the feedin g of the yarn in combination with means to vary the degree of frictional engagement or wrap of the yarn on positively driven feed roll means including two or more rolls.

Conventionally used feeding systems for tufting machines consist of positively feeding yarn to the machine needles regardless of the amounts of yarn required or demanded by the machine, and this is an obviously inadequate method which the invention greatly improves upon. It is believed that the great advantages of the particular yarn feeding mechanism in a cut and uncut pile tufting machine will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, without the necessity for a further description.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and ararngement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Yarn feeding mechanism for multiple needle tufting machines of the class which produce cut and uncut pile in a fabric base, said mechanism comprising guiding and restraining means engaging the yarn as it is pulled off of a supply source responsive to the demands of the tufting machine, first and second spaced friction feed rolls engaging said yarn to positively feed it and turning in one direction in unison, a third friction feed roll intermediate the first and second rolls and engaging said yarn to feed it and turning in the direction opposite to the direction of turning of the first and second rolls, power means to cause turning of all of said rolls in unison, and adjustment means to allow relative lateral shifting of said third roll and first and second rolls, whereby the extent of wrap of said yarn on all of said rolls may be varied through a substantial range from minimum wrap to maximum wrap thereby allowing certain yarns under relatively light tension to be frictionally fed by the rolls varying amounts.

2. The invention as defined by claim I, and wherein said power means comprises a pulley and speed reducer unit directly connected with and driving one of said first and second feed rolls, gearing drivingly connecting said first and second feed rolls so that they will turn in unison in the same direction, and additional gearing drivingly connecting said third intermediate roll with one of said first and second rolls so as to cause the third roll to turn in unison with but in the opposite direction from the first and second rolls.

3. The invention as defined by claim 1, and wherein said adjustment means comprises end supporting frames for said rolls, vertically adjustable members on said frames carrying said third intermediate roll so that the same may be raised and lowered relative to the first and second rolls, and bearing elements for said third roll adjustably slidably mounted upon said members so that the third roll may be shifted bodily laterally of the first and second rolls, the two adjustments of the third intermediate roll enabling compound movement of the third roll.

4. In a multiple needle tufting machine of the class adapted to form both out and uncut pile in a fabric base, mechanism for feeding yarn ends in preselected groups to the tufting needles which produce said out and uncut pile, said mechanism comprising a pair of spaced friction drive rolls for said yarn ends which are geared together to turn in unison in the same direction and having relatively stationary axes of rotation, and an intermediate friction drive roll for said yarn ends geared to turn oppositely to the first-named rolls and in unison therewith, and means movably supporting said intermediate roll so that its rotational axis may be shifted laterally of the first-named rolls varying distances so as to vary the amount of frictional contact between said yarn ends and all of said drive rolls, whereby the yarn ends which produce cut pile and which are under relatively high tension will be fed substantially uniformly while the yarn ends which produce the uncut pile and which are under substantially light tension are fed variably so as to vary the height of the uncut pile.

5. The invention as defined by claim 4, and end frames on said tufting machine supporting all of said rolls for rotation, said means movably supporting said intermediate roll comprising support members for the intermediate roll vertically adjustably mounted on said end frames, and laterally shiftable bearings for the intermediate roll on said members.

6. A yarn feeding mechanism for a tufting machine having needle and looper means to form pile on a fabric base, said needle and looper means causing a demand for yarn from a source of yarn and creating a tension on the individual yarn ends coming from said source, said mechanism comprising a pair of yarn feed rolls each adapted to have yarn ends wrapped thereon in varying degrees and being positively driven, and means to vary the degree of wrap and the degree of frictional contact between the yarn ends and feed rolls for obtaining a greater or lesser degree of feeding of the yarn ends for a given degree of tension thereon caused by said needle and loper means, said means to vary and adjust the degree of wrap comprising a pair of shiftable yarn guiding devices arranged on opposite sides of said pair of rolls and bodily movable relative to the rolls and engaging the yarn ends at points spaced from the rolls.

and additional means connected with the rockable means.

to lock the same releasably in selected adjusted positions to thereby lock said devices in selected positions relative to the feed rolls.

9. A method of feeding yarn to the needles of a tufting machine of the class which produces both out and uncut pile on a fabric base, the method utilizing the inherent greater tension in the yarn ends which produce the cut pile and the inherent lesser tension in the yarn ends which produce the uncut pile, said method comprising drawing first groups of yarn ends having said greater tension from a supply source and engaging the first groups of yarn ends with a substantially constant speed rotary friction driving means to thereby deliver the first groups of yarn ends to corresponding needles of the machine at an even rate, simultaneously drawing second groups of yarn ends having said inherent lesser tension from a supply source and engaging the second groups of yarn ends with said constant speed rotary friction driving means, and physically adjusting at least one element of said driving means to change the degree of frictional engagement between the drive means and said second groups of yarn ends to thereby vary the feeding of the second groups to other corresponding needles of the machine so that the height of uncut pile may be varied according to a pattern while the cut pile height remains constant due to the fact that the adjusting of the driving means and changing of the degree of frictional engagement between the drive means and said first groups of yarn ends under said greater tension does not vary the feeding of said first groups.

19. A method of feeding yarn to the needles of a tufting machine as defined by claim 9, wherein said constant speed rotary friction driving means with which the first and second groups of yarn ends are engaged consists of plural driven cylindrical rolls and coacting yarn guiding elements, and at least one component of the driving means being laterally shiftable relative to the other components while engaging all of said yarn ends so as to vary the extent of the wrap of the yarn ends around said cylindrical rolls and therefore the degree of frictional engagement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,880,684 4/1959 Masland 11279 3,241,507 3/1966 Dedmon et a1 112--79 3,334,601 8/1967 Ellison et al. 11279 FOREIGN PATENTS 849,174 9/1960 Great Britain. 1,011,496 12/ 1965 Great Britain.

PATRICK D. 'LAVSON, Primary Examiner. JAMES R. BOLER, Examiner. 

